My Writings. My Thoughts.

Happy Birthday TC Josh and Ricotta Cheese….

// June 4th, 2011 // No Comments » // Blog, Recipes

Tin Chef Chuck

First, I would like to take this time to wish my fellow Tin Chef, Josh Happy Birthday.  Now what does that have to do with ricotta cheese you ask?  Nothing.

I just decide now would be a could time to talk about ricotta cheese.  I love the stuff and I am always picking up some for the store for pasta, ice cream or whatever other uses I can come with.  A while back, I came across a recipe allowing you to make your own ricotta.  I finally got around to giving it a try.  Two thumbs up here!  It’s really good, way better than the store bought pre-made stuff and it is super quick and easy.  It’s one of those things that can really impress people, as long as they don’t read this blog and find out how ridiculously simple it is to make.  So here is my recipe…

Materials:

  • 1/2 gallon of whole milk, preferably organic
  • 1 pint of buttermilk, again organic if you can find it
  • Cheesecloth
  • Colander and large glass bowl
  • Stainless steel saucepan

Instructions:

  1. Fold several layers of the cheesecloth and line the colander with it.
  2. Combine the milk and buttermilk in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.  Stir with a rubber or silicone spatula being sure to scrape the bottom of the pan.  You don’t want the milk to burn.
  3. Once the mixture is warm, you can stop stirring.  Continue heating until the temperature is between 175-180°F.
  4. You should now start to see lumps forming.  These are the curds separating from the whey.
  5. Remove the pan from the heat and carefully pour the mixture into the colander.
  6. Once it is well drained, carefully gather the edges of the cheesecloth and tie it into a small bag with some butchers string.
  7. Hang it from your faucet and allow it to cool and drain for another 10-15 minutes.
  8. Try to use it fresh or remove from the cheesecloth and refrigerate.

Give it a try- it’s awesome!  Now I need to figure out what to do with the whey.

So happy birthday again  Tin Chef Josh, won’t be long and your going to catch me!

TC Chuck

 

Garden in a jar…

// June 3rd, 2011 // No Comments » // Blog

Tin Chef Chuck

I have always enjoyed growing my own vegetables.  Recently I have really tried to increase the variety and size of my garden.  There are many reasons; first and foremost, fresh vegetables just taste better.  They are also better for you.  I am sure everyone has noticed that the cost of food is also going through the roof.  This is a trend that I am becoming increasingly concerned with.

I’ll try to stay politically neutral, but with the increasing cost of oil, the massive national debt, and my overall feeling that our economy is only going to get worse, I am planning for potential food shortages.  If this doesn’t happen, great, but I still suspect it will cost an arm and a leg for a carrot.  Many of the disaster planning and survival sites have talked about sprouts.  I will be honest, I didn’t know a lot about growing your own sprouts, but after a little research, I have my own sprout garden.

The only thing I ever new about sprouts was you paid four or five dollars for a little plastic tub of sprouts at the grocery store.  I would use them in salads, on sandwiches, stir fry, all the usual stuff.  What I didn’t know was that fresh sprouts are incredibly good for you.  I also didn’t realize all of the things you could “sprout” or how easy it is to grow your own.  It is also very inexpensive.

I picked up a “sprouting” jar for about 10 bucks at a local health food store.  I also bought a selection of different seeds to sprout.  It’s super easy to grow your own.  Soak the seeds in water for a few hours and drain, then rinse 2-3 times a day, keeping in a dark place.  In a few days you will have a jar full of sprouts.  You need to bring them into the light for a day of so and they will turn green.  Voila, ready to serve and enjoy, for a few cents!

My suggestion is to buy the little plastic strainers for the tops of the bottles and pick up some mason jars; it’s a little cheaper that way.  I would get several so that you always have a fresh batch that is ready to go.  There are several other ways to grow your own sprouts, but this one worked pretty well for me.  It will be nice to have fresh “green” stuff this winter.

Has anyone else grown their own sprouts?  If so, would like to hear from you and have you share your experiences and advice.

TC Chuck

Mamma Mia

// May 31st, 2011 // No Comments » // Blog, Restaurant Reviews

Tin Chef Chuck

I usually know better than to try out Italian Restaurants when I am out of town.  Oh, sure I have been to some really spectacular places, but I have been to even more that were nothing short of horrendous.  The problem is that I am a bit of a snob when it comes to Italian food.  First, I grew up in Youngstown, Ohio.  Nobody makes better meatballs than my mother, period, end of discussion.  In Northeast Ohio there were tons of little corner mom and pop places that served authentic and nothing short of amazing Italian food.  Then I traveled to Italy several times.  So I am really hard to please.  I admit it.

So I am not sure what possessed me to stop in Mamma Mia’s Italian Restaurant in Heath, Ohio.  The parking lot was empty and I was the only patron.  The red flags were going up everywhere.  Yet I sat down.  I quickly looked over the menu and ordered the sliced Italian sausage as an appetizer, a side salad and egg plant parmigiana.  Much to my chagrin, they were out of the eggplant parm.  My second choice was the manicotti.  To be complete, I ordered a pepperoni and mushroom pizza to go.

While I waited for my order, I chatted with the owner.  He told me how business has been pretty slow.  He shared that he had been open for about four months.  He then excused himself and went to bring my sausage.  I wasn’t getting my hopes up, but it did look interesting, thin slices of sausage in a spicy marinara sauce.  It was a pretty large serving, and I was already anticipating having a few bites and then focusing on my pasta dish to come.  The owner told me he made everything from scratch- really, in Heath, Ohio.  So I started to eat it as he told me how he learned to cook from his mom and trained and worked in other Italian restaurants.  It was amazing, the sausage was tender and flavorful, and the sauce was truly spectacular.  Fortunately, the place was empty and no one saw me licking up the sauce.  The manicotti was very good.  Manicotti a simple dish’s that’s relatively easy to make and usually taste pretty good.  The only big mistake is to over season it- this one was perfect.  Being the snob that I am, no gold stars for manicotti, I was waiting for the tiramisu.  I always order tiramisu; it’s my barometer of a good Italian restaurant!  This one was home made and was over the top!  The pizza was incredible as well.

So I am sold- I found my new favorite place to eat while in the Newark area.  I can’t wait for lunch tomorrow.  If you live in the area or are passing by, stop in and support this place.  Restaurants like this need to survive!  It’s a special place were fresh ingredients are used by someone who obviously has a passion for what they are doing and does it well. With a little luck, I can get a glass of wine next time I am there!  Good food, fair prices and really nice people working there.  Check it out:  Mamma Mia’s, 773 Hebron Road, Heath, Ohio, (740) 522-0000.  They are open Tuesday through Sunday from 11:00am to 9:00pm.  See you there.

TC Chuck

You did what?!

// May 25th, 2011 // No Comments » // Blog

Tin Chef Chuck

As many of you may know, I am very interested in disaster preparedness and survival skills.  In fact, my love of cooking dates back to my Boy Scout days.  As I have honed my culinary skills, fine tuned my taste buds, and graduated above and beyond the fast food binges of my youth, I started to ask things like where does my food come from?  I started to question things like quality and nutrition.  I have been blessed for most of my life to have not been overly concerned with how much my food cost.  Sure there were those college days of ramen noodles and bologna, but for most of my adult life, I went to the grocery store or the restaurant and ordered or bought what I wanted.  That really hasn’t changed, but it may.  And that bothers me.

If you have read some of my other blogs or looked at my other site, Toledo Tactical, you know that I feel the economy is going to implode.  I just don’t understand how we can keep going the way we are.  I don’t understand how we can divert so much of our food producing resources to make biodiesel fuel.  Never mind how much energy needs inputted into the system or how much carbon dioxide is generated to get one gallon of biodiesel.  Oil prices are going to continue to rise- period.  Yes I know they are dropping a little, that’s because of a transient drop in demand from the record high prices, so enjoy it while you can.  If oil goes up, so will food.  I am learning that it is much more complex than that.  I encourage you to read the article The New Geopolitics of Food by Lester R. Brown.

So where is this going?  First, I think prices are going to go up.  A lot.  Second, I think at some point, the fundamental way that we live is going to change drastically.  Finally, if there is any disruption in our food supply, the proverbial poop is going to hit the fan.  This disruption can be natural or manmade.  We just put a bullet in Bin Laden’s head, I am sure somebody is looking for revenge.  Half of our country is flooded and the other half is being devastated by tornadoes.  And the other half is either in a drought or out of water.  OK, I know, that’s 3 halves, but you get my point!  I may not like what’s coming, but I am not going to bury my head in the sand.  I am going to plan and prepare.

Part of my preparation is that I recently purchased and hand powered grain mill and I high end vacuum sealer.  And I ordered a fair amount of 5 gallon buckets of beans, rice, and various grains. (I can’t wait to see the look on my wife’s and office manager’s face when this gets delivered.  I feel sorry for the poor FedEx guy!)  I never knew that most of the vitamins are lost within 24 hours from flour once it’s ground.  Sure, I know that whole grain is better for you and all that, but even the “healthy” stuff I buy isn’t really that healthy.  I am really looking forward to grinding my own flour from different grains and making really fresh pasta and bread.  I know this is one hundred and eighty degrees from my “molecular gastronomy”, but I am really looking forward to my new experiments.  If anybody has any advice or recipes, PLEASE share them with us.  On a different note, I found it somewhat interesting that almost everything I ordered is sold out and on back order for weeks to months.  Maybe I am not the only one with this idea!  If you are interested in getting your own food stash, check out Pleasant Hill Grains, after a lot of research, I think they have the best stuff and reasonable prices.

TC Chuck

“Men Who Love To Cook” An event for the Asolo Theater in Sarasota, FL

// May 12th, 2011 // No Comments » // Blog

Tin Chef Josh

I was invited to cook in a fundraiser event for the Asolo theater in Sarasota, FL at The Long Boat Key Club (Harbor Side) on April 10th this year. I posted the duck and and andouille gumbo recipe I made for the event in an earlier TTC post. This was a fantastic event and so much fun to do. Here are a few photos:

Flip Burger Boutique in Atlanta (Buckhead)

// April 22nd, 2011 // No Comments » // Blog

Tin Chef Josh

On my last trip down to Florida I always stop in to see some great friends the Conetta’s in Atlanta. As always in every city I always do research and try and find some great spots to eat! I found Flip Burger (owned by Top Chef Richard Blais) and looked at the menu online and was like I’m in love and this is the place we are going. Our first attempt there didn’t go so well. We arrived at 8:45pm on a Thursday and they where closed due to the season finally of Top Chef and all the employes where getting together at a local theater to watch. Bummed but understandable. On our way back home from Florida we where going to try again. Success! The inside of the place is really cool and different from most restaurants. Side by side white tables in the middle and booths on the outside we got a very cozy booth. You have to go to http://www.flipburgerboutique.com and check out there menu! I am going to say this right now… I had the best artisanal burger of my life to date here. We started with vodka onion rings and fried pickles with sriracha. I had to order the d’Lux burger: black diamond steak, truffle herb butter, roasted mushrooms, french onions, foie gras, red wine reduction. It was awesome awesome, like I said earlier… best artisanal burger I have had to date. Then on to there No2 milkshakes!! I had a nutella and burnt marshmallow shake, yes that’s what I said, very cool and very good! Check there menu for all the crazy shake selections. Definitely check this place out if your in ATL!

“Men Who Love To Cook” Longboat Key Club – LIVE Sunday April 10th 7:20pm

// April 8th, 2011 // No Comments » // Video



Live video by Ustream

Beans, Guns, Bullets, and Gold

// April 7th, 2011 // No Comments » // Blog

I have been busy over the last few months starting up a new business venture.  I have always been someone who believes in being prepared.  It’s the Eagle Scout in me and has been reinforced by my military experiences.  Our new venture is called Toledo Tactical.  It’s a company formed to reduce risk and hazards for individuals and businesses.  We will offer consulting services, disaster preparation supplies, firearms, tactical firearm training and other services along that theme.  FEMA recommends that everyone have at least a 3 day food supply on hand in case of an emergency.  I am pretty sure the folks in New Orleans would argue that 3 days is not enough, but that’s what Toledo Tactical is about.

With my research, I have come to the conclusion that the best investments are beans (food), guns, ammunition, and gold.  If you look into these things, they all have consistently gone up in value.  The guns, bullets and gold are or will be addressed by Toledo Tactical, but I am going to share some of my food thoughts here.  There is no doubt in my mind that food prices are going to continue to climb.  Since last year, gas prices have almost doubled.  They will likely continue to climb, unless the demand drops from the high prices, then they will likely stabilize a little.  The bottom line is that oil is a cornerstone of our food supply; it’s involved in every aspect of the supply chain, from fertilizers to fuel for tractors and delivery trucks, to the stores refrigeration.  So if fuel goes up, so will the cost of food.

Stay with me, I am going somewhere with all of this.  First, now is a great time to think about a garden.  Whether you live in an apartment or out in the country, a garden can offer great tasting, fresh fruits and vegetables and save you some money.  There is a lot of hype about heirloom varieties.  The hard core survivalists are stockpiling these seeds.  Their rational, which is true, is that if the world as we know it (TEOTWAWKI) came to an end, you would have to grow your own food.  If this happens you will need a supply of seeds.  Most of the seeds that you buy in a store are hybrids that have either been specially bred or genetically altered for various reasons.  I don’t buy all of the conspiracy theories about why they do this, I think the seed producers are trying to develop plants which will survive and produce in abundance in your area.  I have nothing wrong with these seeds, but the problem is that you can’t usually use the seeds from these plants to continue growing stuff year after year.  So for the preppers and survivalist out there, go for the heirloom stuff.  But for you foodies, I am sure that you notice high end grocery stores carry heirloom varieties and that they are more expensive.  This shouldn’t be a surprise, they are harder to grow and the yield is going to be lower.  But they do have some unique flavors and textures.  I especially love the various heirloom tomatoes that are available.  So when you plan your garden, pick up an heirloom tomato plant or two.  They are awesome.  If you think the world is ending soon, then buy a bunch.

Another way to save some money is your local farmers market.  Remember to buy in season.  It’s the law of supply and demand.  When strawberries are in season, the taste better, there are a lot of them, and hence the price is lower.  Learn to plan your menu around what is in season, fresh, available, and less expensive.  Great flavors and you save money!

Finally, I am going to throw in my two cents about emergency preparedness.  I do think you should have a little food cache at home.  I think 3 days worth is a little naive.  How much after that depends on your political views and your beliefs about the potential for a disaster.  But realistically, we are not immune to disasters in Northwest Ohio.  Last summer we had tornadoes, last winter we had ice storms, and who knows what lies ahead this spring.  So when you are stocking your pantry, put in a little extra just in case.  I know you may be thinking that your freezer is full, but what happens when the power is out for 3 or 4 days or longer.  Unless you have a backup generator, things are going to get stinky pretty fast.  By the way, if you need one, take a look at my other site, and we can hook you up.

Think about what you put away too.   Eating tuna fish for a week straight gets pretty old.  Just because you’re in “disaster” mode doesn’t mean you can’t eat well.  One of my favorite stories goes back to when I was a Battalion Surgeon with the Marines.  We were in the field and the Battalion CO stopped by my Battalion Aid Station for a visit.  I offered him a cup of espresso.  He was a big coffee drinker and wondered how the hell I had espresso in the middle of the desert.  I always carried a tiny little espresso maker used for camping that I had found with me.  The Marines always were giving the Navy guys that served with them crap about not being tough enough or too soft, typical Navy-Marine stuff.  First, I did everything they did, and second, it was a blast to eat my MRE and sip espresso- made them nuts!

Tin Chef Chuck

Spring, Finally…

// April 7th, 2011 // No Comments » // Blog

Within the last week, I have seen snow, severe thunderstorms, and finally the sun.  And it’s warming up.  Finally spring is here.  It’s been a while since I have posted anything.  In my defense, I have been pretty busy and away from the kitchen.  OK, no excuse.  During my absence, Carolyn and I did visit Paris.  We had a great time during our mini-vacation.  It’s funny, but the one thing that I came away with was mustard.  We enjoyed some great food and drink, but mustard was a recurring theme.  Sure we use mustard back home, but it’s usually on a burger or chili dog.  I use it in vinaigrettes, but it is usually a background flavor.  In Paris it was the star.  At most tables, they had little caddies that had salt, pepper, and mustard.

So my latest inspiration is mustard.  I am going to try a few recipes that I have in mind once I get back in the kitchen.  I have made a few salad dressings (sauces) with more of a mustard base- they were really good, and honestly unlike anything I have had in the states.  So, I promise to post more on this soon.  In the meantime, would you mind passing the Grey Poupan?

Tin Chef Chuck

Wine Making at Home

// March 25th, 2011 // No Comments » // Blog

Tin Chef Josh

I just finished my first batch of wine at my house. First off I recommend you definitely trying this if you are at all curious or interested in making wine. The process is not that hard, I would say if you are a good baker meaning you can follow directions you can make great wine at home. Make sure you use a calendar or what I used was a dry erase board hanging in my kitchen so I wouldn’t forget any steps. There is a store in Toledo on Westwood off the Trail (not a great area of town) called Titgemeier’s that sells wine making supplies. The store is really cool… Its kinda a good ol boy country store that sells feed and garden supplies, but they have an awesome supply of beer and wine supplies and kits. First you have to buy your juice… obviously I didn’t grow my own grapes… one day. I choose to do an Italian Amarone, recommended by a few people. The process took about 40 days if all goes well you get to bottle. This first batch produced 30 bottles of wine. Have to let the wine rest in the bottle for 1 to 3 months and it will be ready to drink. I will definitely be having a wine tasting as soon as its ready to drink! The number 600 on the label represents the average number of grapes it takes to make one bottle of wine. This will be the theme for all my produced wines no matter what type or what region for the future. Here is what the wine labels look like for my first run:

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